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“This is an awful idea. It’s not going to happen,” Carol said. “You’re both too young. Rachel needs adult supervision.”
Carol was right. Rachel probably did need supervision, but she hadn’t had any for a long time. Instead, she had me, and now they wanted to take her away from me.
I won’t allow it.
My fingers curling into a fist, I pressed it hard to my lips to keep them from trembling and to hold back my sob.
I loved Collin. It was sweet, his idea for the three of us to live together, but his mother was right. What started out as a kind gesture would end up a regret as my sister and I became a burden.
Tom’s voice deepened. “We won’t allow it, Collin.”
“I’m eighteen,” Collin said, but his voice didn’t sound as firm as before.
“You live in our house. You’ll graduate before there’s any more talk of moving in together.” Tom’s authoritative voice deepened. “You should use that time to think long and hard before making such a life-altering decision. Addy has a hard path ahead of her. But it’s her path, not yours.”
He was right, and I knew it. My eyes burned at the realization.
“Dad, Addy worked so hard, but her mother took all she’d saved. She doesn’t have any money.”
“You barely have any savings either, and no job.”
“Andy accepted an offer from RDA last night,” Collin said, and in the stillness following that shocking news, my heart stopped.
“Without speaking to any of the others first?” his dad asked.
“It’s his band,” Collin said, “and he asked me. I said yes. I would’ve asked Rachel, but given her circumstances, I know she’ll agree.”
“What about Barry?” Carol asked.
“He’ll come around. It’s a good offer, Mom. They were at $50,000 already. Andy got them to go $5,000 more for each of us. He got it in writing from the A&R rep.”
“Yes, but how much of that amount will you see up front?” Tom asked.
“Ten percent as soon as we all sign the contract.”
“Seventy thousand dollars split four ways isn’t a lot,” his dad muttered.
“It’s enough for a security deposit on an apartment if you won’t let Addy and Rachel stay here.”
“You’ve thought this through.” His dad’s tone was as serious as Collin’s.
“I have.”
“You didn’t sleep much last night.”
“No, sir.”
“What about your obligation to the band,” Tom reminded him. “You’ll probably have to leave Seattle. Then Addy will have to keep up that lease alone.”
“I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.”
“I don’t like it. Too much uncertainty. Even if there wasn’t the issue of Rachel needing a guardian, you’d be throwing away your whole future on a girl you’ve only known a few months.”
“Addy is my future.”
A warm tear slid down my cheek.
Collin’s willingness to sacrifice meant so much, but I couldn’t let him do that. Rachel was my responsibility, mine to protect. So was Collin, even if the person I was protecting him from was me.
